


This Darkest Hour

by LinnyBear



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, My Wives are Canon, by word of Mercer they're really in love, episode 77 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-08
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-09-07 05:25:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8784937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LinnyBear/pseuds/LinnyBear
Summary: No one sleeps easily following the attack on Fort Daxio, least of all Allura. But a few quiet moments in her lover's arms can calm a sea of fear, and ease the memories of helplessness.





	

Allura is, by this point in her life, quite accustomed to the heavy stillness that followed battle.

Fort Daxio is thick with it. No one speaks more than the occasional whisper of desperate prayers and death rites as bodies are collected, as armor is cleaned and weapons are - tentatively, so tentatively - put away, and the living prepared for what will likely be a restless sleep. Among them, keeping to walls and empty rooms as if to avoid being too much of a presence in the fort, is Vox Machina. They speak to each other in hushed tones, gather what blankets can be spared, prepare themselves for a well deserved rest. Allura leaves them to it, after wishing them a good night.

She stays awake just a little too long, perhaps. There’s always more to be done, just as she is about to slip away to retire. Wards to cast, wounds to tend to, plans to confirm, assurances to offer. She had failed, she felt, in her carelessness, which meant she was absent for the battle itself when she was needed most.

The least she could do would be to help with the aftermath.

It’s perhaps just past midnight when she’s startled from writing a quick correspondence with Whitestone by a hand on her arm. 

“Sorry, Allie.” Kima’s voice is uncharacteristically soft. Likely, the heavy weight of the battle has reached even her. “Should have knocked.”

“It’s alright, love.” She squeezes Kima’s hand. “Just… On edge tonight.”

“Yeah, you and everyone.” Kima doesn’t remove her hand right away, though, instead moving it to close over one of Allura’s. “Hey, I managed to grab us a room. Please come to bed?”

She wants to protest, like she had the last several times a well-meaning soldier has asked if she needed to rest, if she was well. But… She’s exhausted. She was exhausted hours ago, body and mind, and the thought of just a few hours of peace and sleep in Kima’s arms is finally tempting enough.

“Very well.” She presses a quick, chaste kiss to Kima’s lips. “I suppose I can tell the council most of this in person anyway.”

The room Kima has secured - likely through just a little intimidation, but she doesn’t ask - is on the quieter side of the barracks, and looks relatively untouched save for the armor and greatsword propped up in a corner, the mess of blankets that meant Kima had likely at least attempted to sleep.

A bit of guilt for worrying her. A bit of guilt for everything.

Allura dresses down for bed quietly, a few yawns breaking the silence that means she really would need the sleep. Even if her mind is already reminding her of what else needs to be done, of the coming battle she now  _ knew  _ she wouldn’t be ready for.

Kima watches her, her face frustratingly unreadable. Very rarely did Kima not constantly wear her heart on her sleeve, and to see her so reserved is… Troubling.

“Something on your mind, love?”

Kima starts, and just shakes her head. “Just… Tired. Been a long day.”

Allura settles into bed, and pulls the covers over them both. “That it has.” The words come out as an exhausted sigh. “And the shortest to come, I’m afraid. But for now it’s over.”

“Yeah,” Kima agrees, wrapping an arm around Allura’s waist, settling against her chest. “It is.”

For awhile, there’s only the sound of their breathing. Eventually, sleep takes her.

 

Fear. 

It’s all Allura knows. 

Fear, as she curls up on herself on the hard stone floor, fear, as shouts she can’t understand resonate through the halls. Fear, as something shakes the castle and she presses her hands over her ears as hard as she can.  _ Fear, fear, afraid,  _ she can’t even form the words themselves, just the base thoughts, just the  _ feeling.  _

She doesn’t know the man who looks down on her, the pity striking his elven features as he mutters something she can’t understand, and turns to leave her alone, unable to move, unable to fight, unable to understand the words from the mouths of the soldiers. She’s so weak, and helpless, and  _ afraid afraid afraid  _ -

 

“ _ Allie.”  _

Kima’s voice breaks through the remembered fog, and she starts awake, wide eyed and panting. She looks up, gaze focusing on the halfling’s face, taking in the worry lines set around her eyes, the hair coming out at odd angles that frame her face. Slowly, the dream fades. Slowly, she brings herself back to reality. “Hey. You were having a nightmare.” 

Allura’s voice cracks when she tries to respond. Instead, she rolls over and lays her head in Kima’s lap, presses her face into her stomach. And sobs as if her heart has been broken.

They lay like that for a long time. Kima’s fingers card through her hair, gently, whispering soft reassurances. “Hey, it’s ok. You’re alright. You’re here, I’m here.” 

Allura doesn’t speak until the sobs subside, and she sniffles as she rolls over to look up at Kima’s face again. “I’m sorry, my love, I just… I was so helpless.” 

She doesn’t have to specify when _. _ The flash of anger that passes across Kima’s features tells her she  _ knows.  _ A calloused thumb brushes a few tears from Allura’s face, and Kima bends to press a soft kiss to her forehead.

“Well, you’re not anymore.” Words firm, determined. “And I swear on Bahamut himself you’ll never have to be again. If I have to kill that elf motherfucker a second time.”

Allura lets out a choked laugh, which inspires just a twitch of a smile from Kima in return. Then, the halfling bends again, this time pressing another kiss to Allura’s lips, firm and desperate and intense enough Allura finds her hand reaching up to wind through Kima’s hair. 

“I thought I’d lost you,” She says as she breaks the kiss, forehead pressed against Allura’s still. “I thought… I don’t know what I would have done, Allie, I really don’t. I would have stayed with you - please, never doubt that, but - “

“Shhh... “ Allura slides her thumb over Kima’s lips to silence her, before cupping her cheek. “You’ll never have to know. At least not today. I’m still here.”

“Yeah.” Kima lets out a low breath, that mingles with Allura’s own. “You are. We both are.” 

They lay like that a little longer, Allura in her lover’s lap, their foreheads pressed together, just drinking in the peace of being together, and alive, and whole.

A few minutes pass, and Allura carefully guides Kima back down to the bed, lets her settle back in with her head on her chest, and their arms wound tightly around each other. With the rhythm of Kima’s calming breaths, Allura falls into a finally,  _ finally, _ dreamless sleep.

They’re still holding each other tightly when dawn breaks. For just a few more hours, Allura lets herself know peace.

**Author's Note:**

> I have not been able to stop thinking about these two wonderful ladies for almost a week now they're in love and it's canon and i'm just so happy it's like i don't even care what happens ever again my life is complete
> 
> Also I started writing The Scene where Kima finds Allura feebleminded and alone but it's been written so much better than I can a few times over and was struggling with my attempt so have this instead they kiss a lot and cry and it hurts my soul


End file.
